From the Ottens

These are some excerpts taken from a newsletter the Ottens send to medical personnel who volunteer at the hospital.

We wish you all a Blessed New Year! Living away from our families and friends we feel blessed with our own family God has given us.. Over the last year we have had six surgeons and four dentists come to help at the hospital Mary Shaw (one of the Wycliffe missionaries who started the hospital) brought a team of medical people from her church to work at the hospitalÉ God has blessed the surgeons, the patients and the staff too. Even though these are busier times for the staff they all work together and are happy to be part of the miracle of healing that takes place.

August and September found us in Canada. John was able to complete his training for instrument flyingÉ John is working on several renovations at the hospital. This past year many women came for their deliveries. Many, however, do not come for prenatal visits and then only come when they sense a complication. The problem is that then it often is too late to do something for them. Maria, a 19 year old girl who lives in Cubulco, is an example of a mother who came late in her pregnancy for a consultation. Her husband works on the coast seven months of the year on a sugar cane plantation making about $130.00 US a month. In the other months he grows some corn at home. They have a three year old boy and another child who died at ten months from malnutrition. In the examination the doctor could hear two heart beats. He suggested that she get an ultrasound. The ultrasound reported that there were three babies, but that only one would likely live because the other two were very deformed. The doctors suspect that some type of medication the mother took caused these abnormalities, as one can buy any medication over the counter and many people treat themselves as they please. With this being such a high risk case she was sent to the government hospital to be treatedÉ We hope that with the nurses giving more instruction to the patients on their lifestyle, foods and health, teaching some of these things may be prevented.

A 75 year old lady from Xeyoch, a village a three hours walk from the hospital, came for a consultation. She was brought in very poor condition, with difficulty speaking, fluctuating heart pressure and great sadness of heart for her husband had just died. She was in the hospital for ten days and each day she would gladly listen to the chaplain read the Scriptures and pray with her. As she had difficulty speaking she would often only respond with "it is good." She left being very grateful for the care given her.

There are many like her who return to their homes and we do not know if their heart is right with God or not, but we know that they heard His Word and our prayer is that they will believe. May God guide each of us as we continue on in the work He has given us to do.